Fantasies
by whimsical-one-ga
Summary: I would consider this a high T rating, edging the M line.  Nothing graphic just some adult subject matter. A mix of humor/drama, Will Storms in to confront Hotch after JJ makes a slip. Other team members share to help with the embarrassment that follows.
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is more of a hard T or light M I think, but thought I'd err on the side of caution, there's no smut or graphic sexual situations, but it is definitely adult subject matter. Probably only three or four short chapters, just a break I'm taking from an insanely long fic I've been working on for the last couple weeks that I'm determined to finish before I start posting.

Chapter 1:

"Our latest case involves a string of murders in a low income housing district in Texas," Hotch began briefing the assembled BAU team as he picked up the clicker to begin showing the photos of the latest victims on the screen, stopping as the usually focused team members glanced away from the screen and turned their eyes to the back of the room at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps that were soon revealed to belong to an obviously agitated man wearing a visitors pass, they were obviously surprised as they watched JJ's longtime boyfriend and fiance enter the room. Will's face was a tight mask and he appeared oblivious to the gathered team as his gaze focused only on Hotch.

"Will, is something wrong with Henry?" JJ called out reflexively but as she studied the angry look on his face she blanched, knowing instantly that he had not heeded her pleas from early that morning and only worked himself up more, possibly with the help of the can of beer he had been sipping when she left. "Will, please, not now." She begged as she stood planning to move closer to him and steer him from the room, fearing what was coming next as he moved before she could reach him, and proceeded to walk to the front of the room to stand in front of their leader, all thoughts of the latest murder victims temporarily left everyone's minds as the gathered team watches curiously to see what happened next.

Hotch watched with the same curiosity as the rest of the team, as they all become on guard observing the angry man closely even though he knew he would be unarmed, by JJ's expression it is obvious that this is something domestic. Hotch braced himself slightly, incorrectly assuming that Will may have finally had it with JJ's long hours and had come to negotiate an improved work schedule.

"Will, is there something I can help you with?" Hotch finally spoke to open the lines of communication, keeping his voice the focused calm that he often reserved for use in negotiation situations. As Will studied him closely everyone watches sensing something is about to happen but still taken off guard as Will's fist flies out, catching the taller man in the jaw and sending Hotch reeling several steps backwards, Hotch fought to maintain his balance, catching himself on the corner of the conference table to keep from going down as JJ watched with wide terrified eyes while Morgan instinctively reacted, grabbing Will to restrain him before he could take another punch at their leader.

"Will, please, don't do this." JJ begged again, but her plaintive voice was heard only by the other team members as Will was obviously too enraged to listen to anyone right now.

Hotch studied the man carefully before speaking again, still using the calm measured tones and ignoring the throb in his jaw as he wiped the smear of blood from his lip. "Ok Will, you have my attention, what's the problem?" Hotch knew it was important to keep himself tightly controlled and not respond to Will's angry behavior with his own anger as that would only escalate the situation, and the last thing they needed was a fist fight in the FBI building.

"I want to know how long you've been having sex with my fiancée?" Will practically screamed in response to his question, causing the astonished team members still gathered to quickly look at Hotch and then at JJ seeking some kind of verification or denial, whatever response they could get. Hotch could not hide his shock at the accusation and looked at JJ with a questioning look before turning back to Will after seeing her obvious dismay, realizing he needed to do damage control now and could focus on any issues between himself and JJ at a later time.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hotch finally responded smoothly, his brows knitting slightly as he tried to comprehend where Will could have gotten such an idea.

"Oh don't pretend like you don't know," Will continued obviously bent on pushing the issue. JJ tried to ignore her embarrassment and wanting to stop the drama from escalating any further she moved closer to her enraged fiance.

"Will, honey, I told you nothing like that is happening," she tried to soothe him as she reached out to touch his shoulder, hoping she could break through the anger and help him see reason before he said something worse.

"Of course you deny it, this is between us men now, you and I can talk later." Will shot back before turning to Hotch.

"Ok you're the chief profiler here, so you tell me, if you aren't sleeping with JJ then why did she call out your name last night while we were in the middle of making love? Hmmm, tell me that, I was touching her, loving her, inside of her, focused only on making her happy and then I hear your name and realize she's not really with me, she's with you. So are you really going to stand there and tell me you haven't done anything?" Will almost spit as he ground out the last words, daring Hotch to deny his accusation.

JJ felt her cheeks flame a cherry red as Will stared at Hotch accusingly, total silence reigned for a few moments as she scanned the room, hearing an audible gasp that sounded suspiciously like it came from Prentiss while Reid and Morgan simply looked shocked, while Dave looked amused if the twinkle in his eye indicated anything. Knowing that denial would be futile and her silence would only confirm the statements JJ slowly backed away, obviously mortified before she fled the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Prentiss watched her friend flee the room, it was a rare sight to see JJ back down from something but Emily had to admit having details of one's sex life exposed in front of colleagues with a mention of their boss for good measure was enough to do that to just about anyone. She was torn for a moment between following her friend or staying to watch the drama, but as the shock wore off it only took a moment for her loyalties to win out as she left the room, trusting that one of the others would give her the blow by blow later.

As a testament to his iron control Hotch appeared to not even be phased by the revelation of JJ calling out his name in a passionate moment and continued to study the younger man, now that the reason for his anger was out in the open Will had started to slightly deflate so Morgan cautiously released his grip and took a step back while Hotch and Will squared off.

"I am certainly willing to talk with you about this further Will, I can assure you my relationship with JJ has never been anything but professional, but I think it would be best if we discussed this privately don't you agree?" Hotch asked calmly hoping to at least move the discussion away from the other agents, the gossip mill would be running overtime as it was, it didn't need any more grist added.

Will slowly nodded, responding to Hotch's calmer tone and responsiveness to his anger, though continued to hold his head high and walked defiantly as he followed Hotch to his office and they shut the door.

_Meanwhile_

"I think I'm going to be sick" JJ continued to crouch in the stall in the women's bathroom with Emily hovering over her ready to help, trying not to ask the obvious question. Emily was saved the trouble when Garcia burst in, the pipeline having already reached her with the news.

"JJ, are you really sleeping with our studly bossman?" The obviously excited technical analyst blurted out, causing JJ to groan as she buried her head, only giving a muffled "no," in response.

"JJ, come on we're your friends, you can talk to us." Prentiss cajoled, knowing the blonde agent needed to get what had happened off her chest but also secretly desiring to know more, having often thought she detected a spark of something extra between her blonde friend and their stoic unit chief.

JJ looked up miserably at her two friends before sighing deeply. "No, I've never slept with Hotch," she said, noting that they almost looked disappointed at her admission. "But I did accidently say his name last night," she admitted slowly, seeing the disappointed looks replaced by surprised ones.

"If Will hadn't brought it to work and gotten so offended it wouldn't have been a big deal," JJ bemoaned the events, "it's the same as daydreaming about a celebrity right?"

"It is a little different when you say the name of a person you actually work with," Prentiss answered trying to be tactful but she could see where Will might have questioned the event even if they could all agree he was seriously overreacting.

"It was late, I was tired, Will was taking forever and I was having a hard time getting in the mood," JJ began, her cheeks still flushed from embarrassment, "so I just started a little harmless daydream about Hotch calling me into his office and the next thing I know I was saying his name, Will recoiled as if I shot him and has been sulking ever since, I thought he might calm down after I left this morning." She finished, hoping they wouldn't ask for further details.

"You were fantasizing about Hotch?" Prentiss asked, seeming to consider the concept at great length.

"Why not, he is awfully good looking, and that dominant alpha male persona can be sexy." Garcia immediately defended her friend. "I've thought of Morgan before when I'm with Kevin, I love Kevin but sometimes it's nice to shut my eyes and imagine my chocolate Adonis in my arms even though I know it will never seriously get beyond our usual flirtation," she admitted trying to normalize the experience for her friend. "Who do you fantasize about from the team Em," she asked, pushing the issue wanting Emily to contribute also.

"Oh fine, but you guys have to swear this doesn't go beyond the bathroom." Emily said with a sigh as she caved, the desire to comfort her mortified friend outweighing her desire for privacy. "I occasionally think of Rossi and imagine the things he could do to me based on what I've heard around the office. I close my eyes and can imagine him touching me and it usually gets me turned on pretty quick.

They were surprised as JJ laughed, finally feeling a little of the weight come off as the women shared their own fantasies. "Glad I'm not the only one," she said, their stories having the desired effect. "But I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at Hotch again." She admitted.

"Oh please, you think men don't do it too." Garcia laughed in response, I bet you ten to one every man we mentioned including Will has thought of, it doesn't mean you don't love the person you're with, it's only an issue when you call out their name to a jealous spouse and it's someone seen as attainable."

"So will you tell us more?" Garcia asked obviously fascinated at the thought of hearing more about JJ's fantasy version of their stoic leader, causing JJ to groan again as she buried her head back in her knee's knowing this was a can of worms they would probably never get the lid back on.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

As the BAU women remained in the bathroom Will had settled angrily across from Hotch's desk as the profiler sat down. Hotch looked at JJ's fiancé with that continued look of calm and reason as if they were about to discuss the weather.

"Will, let me say again that JJ and I have never had an inappropriate relationship. Professionally she is a fellow agent, as well as a subordinate. Personally, she is a friend, and I would never betray that friendship by causing her to cheat. I don't chase women who are with someone else, that's my own code." Hotch said strongly, using his best lawyer voice to sound as convincing as he could. He was speaking the truth but it would still take some extra conviction he thought considering the wounded ego of the man sitting across from his desk. He saw Will processing and considering the words carefully, it was obvious he wanted to believe the profiler but he was still wavering between his memory of what JJ had said and what Hotch was telling him now.

Hotch's instincts told him to add more honesty to the discussion and hopefully help convince the man he had nothing to worry about. "I'll be honest Will, I can't deny that JJ is attractive, but I could say the same about the other women on the team." He admitted without a trace of embarrassment or discomfort, "but finding someone attractive is very different from having romantic feelings much less acting on them." Hotch paused again gauging Will's response finding that his last admission had apparently tipped the scales causing the Louisiana man to sink back into the chair looking defeated.

"I just don't understand why she had to call out your name, I love her so much, do you know how much it hurts to hear someone else's name while you're making love to them?" Will repeated, this time the anger gone from his voice letting the hurt clearly show through. As a matter of fact Hotch did know what it felt like and could almost commiserate with the miserable man in front of him, toward the end of the marriage with Haley there had been a few signs such as phone calls and a hang up when he answered, but he had his suspicions confirmed after Haley had called out another man's name while he was still trying to make their relationship work. He had pretended not to hear her and it became the breaking point in his mind of when he knew things weren't going to work out as she had already moved on, but that wasn't an experience to share with Will ever, much less at a time like this.

Hotch considered carefully how to proceed, trying to be considerate of the man's hurt and deciding he should try to help Will considering to the best of his knowledge that JJ was staying faithful to the father of her child, though whether it would change after this was anyone's guess and he refused to let himself think about the possibility of that right now. "Would it have hurt as much if she had called out someone you didn't know, someone famous?" Hotch finally proceeded, trying to sound as clinical as if he was describing the difference between a sociopath and a schizophrenic "couples do this sometimes Will, sometimes it's active role play other times it's more subtle, it doesn't mean that they don't love the person they're with, it's usually just a way to spice things up."

"But she didn't pick Brad Pitt, she picked you, someone she sees almost every day," Will again grumbled, causing Hotch to shift in his seat almost uncomfortably having considered the same thing himself and not wanting to really go down that line of thought especially at the present time, that would be something he would do much later when he could think more privately, he already knew his day would be spent dealing with Will, eventually JJ, and putting out the fires with the rest of the team. Though trying to keep himself from analyzing it, the more time he spent with JJ's boyfriend he was starting to get some ideas about the basic personality differences that might have caused JJ to consider him for a role in whatever fantasy she chose to play, it was good for men to have sensitivity but Will's sensitivity and insecurity was personally starting to annoy him.

"Only JJ can answer that for sure," Hotch said diplomatically, though it was obvious Will didn't want to let it drop there.

"Ok, from a human behavior standpoint, what are some reasons these ordinary people fantasize about other lovers?" Will questioned, feeling somewhat reassured by Hotch's calm confidence, but still seeking some further explanation about JJ's behavior as he studied the man in front of him, wondering what JJ saw in him, beginning to feel insecure as he noted some of the physical differences in regards to the taller muscular agent and the contrast of his well-fitting suit compared to Will's jeans and t-shirt as his appearance had been the last thing on his mind when he stormed out of the apartment that morning.

"It could be a hundred things Will," Hotch said tiredly, halting the man's obvious study of him. "Everyone is different, but I'm not comfortable analyzing the sex life of one of my agents, this is between you and JJ and that is where it should remain." Hotch let his tone become more stern as he effectively took the last step to regain total control of the situation, evidenced by Will's now submissive posture and more thoughtful look on his face then decided to throw the man at least a small morsel of hope. "Will, are you saying that you've never thought of someone else when you're in bed with someone you love?"

"No, I haven't" Will shot back quickly, too quickly, it was easy for Hotch to see that he was lying but he chose not to call him on it, the most important thing was that Will made the connection in his mind that there wasn't a double standard in regards to that particular behavior and if lying let him keep some dignity than Hotch wasn't going to take that away.

"JJ is going to kill me," Will said, finally refocusing on what his anger might have cost their relationship. Hotch nodded, not going to provide any contradiction because he was pretty sure that JJ would have plenty to say to Will about this once they got back home, he was profoundly grateful that he wasn't in the man's shoes, he had no doubt JJ could be quite formidable when truly angry and when the embarrassment faded then it would probably not be pretty for anyone in her path.

"When you see her could you let her know I've gone back home, I'll be ready to talk whenever she is." Will said, knowing JJ well enough to know he should probably allow some time for her to calm down before he tried to talk to her further.

"I'll let her know," Hotch said assuredly, feeling a sense of relief that this portion of the nightmare was almost over as Will stood to leave walking out defeated. Will appeared to try to maintain some sense of dignity as he walked through the bullpen and avoided making eye contact with the obviously gawking BAU team members who were not at all convinced by his attempt to hide his shame, the gravity of publicly humiliating his fiancée was becoming more heavy on his mind as he considered the consequences he was likely to face and the more he did so the more he started wondering if it was time to pack his things.

A cheery ding caused Garcia to check her phone and read quickly before announcing the message to JJ, "According to Morgan, Will just left the building, he looked calm after talking with Hotch, so guess we can leave the bathroom fortress," she suggested.

"So what would you ladies do," JJ had to ask, "I now have to face my boss who was recently slugged by my fiancé and informed that I had called out his name during sex. Would either of you want to have that conversation?" She started to look green again at the prospect earning sympathetic looks from her two colleagues.

AN: Thanks for the reviews and story alerts, though this started as a small fluff piece it seems to be growing, we'll see where it goes.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Maybe he'll just try to sweep you off your feet now," Garcia said with grin that seemed entirely too cheerful in JJ's opinion considering the situation. "Not helpful," JJ quickly replied.

"He wouldn't do that, he knows like the rest of us that this is mainly a problem between you and Will. Just keep it simple," Prentiss advised, attempting to be more practical, "he's a profiler, he doesn't need a long explanation about why things like this happen, just apologize and let it go. He probably doesn't want to talk about it anymore than you do." She finished confidently.

JJ nodded thoughtfully as she rose from her position on the floor and went to the sink to try and refresh her appearance, thinking that this advice sounded solid as she started mentally practicing an apology that included a vague mention of relationship troubles with Will, hoping that Hotch wouldn't take it further.

JJ tried to ignore the looks of the BAU men as she walked up the stairs, hoping her knees didn't look as shaky as they felt as she approached the closed door to Hotch's office. She had seen enough from her quick look at the bullpen to see that Morgan and Rossi were definitely looking amused as well as curious, while Reid seemed to be in one full analytical mode. She could also tell they were definitely hungry for more information as Garcia and Prentiss entered and were quickly pulled in to a huddle with the other agents. JJ was tempted to roll her eyes but in her heart she wasn't as worried about the team, it was facing the man who had starred in more than one of her night-time fantasies and now knew about it that that caused the butterflies to start swarming in her stomach.

She almost turned to run after her almost tentative knock when she heard his brisk "come in," but instead managed to steel her nerves, opening the door, stepping inside the office before quickly shutting the door behind her before taking the same chair that Will had vacated a few moments earlier. She didn't speak at first as she silently studied their unit chief, looking for signs of anger as she tried to remember what it was she was going to say. Not sure at the moment if the fact that the blinds were still closed made her more nervous or relieved. She was glad there would be privacy for their conversation but she also wondered what the overactive team imaginations below might be envisioning happening between them.

"I'm not upset JJ," Hotch replied to take the guessing game out of it, seeing her cheeks begin to flame again as she gnawed for a moment on her lower lip. Hotch took a moment to watch the very uncharacteristic nervous expression of a woman who typically was able to handle the most nosy reporters and vicious killers with relative ease.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am for this whole mess," JJ finally blurted out after he had spoken and allowed the floodgates to open.

"Don't worry, I'm flattered," Hotch said with a disarming smile trying to ease the rising tension he felt in the office as the walls already seemed to be getting smaller by the moment. He had meant for it to be calming but quickly realized his comment had only made her more uncomfortable as her eyes suddenly seemed fixated on the nameplate on his desk. "I know these things happen JJ, I'm not going to take it personally and see no reason it should interfere with our usual working relationship." He tried a more professional tone as he blatently ignored the small voice in his head that was clearly telling him how personally he would like to take it.

"I know, that's what Prentiss and Garcia told me," JJ sighed, "they even told me they did the same thing, but I still feel ashamed. When he didn't immediately respond she looked up to see a look of surprise on his face and realized how what that had sounded like. "Not about you that is, about Morgan and Rossi, oh shoot," she turned red again realizing that she had blown the simple apology approach to pieces and had now outed the fantasies of her two friends. She was relieved though when she heard a small chuckle from her obviously amused boss. "Well there you have it, apparently we all do it, just a result of too much time spent together." Hotch said lightly, secretly glad that the women had confided in JJ and helped put it in perspective, he could really care less who they were thinking about as long as it didn't interfere with team performance.

"We all do it?" JJ repeated a portion of what he had said, her voice taking on a questioning tone as she raised an eyebrow and studied her boss, suddenly remembering what Emily had said about the men being just as guilty. She was rewarded to see the slightest flicker in his eyes that showed he was now a little unnerved. Hotch felt the room temperature seem to rise a little more as he realized what he had said.

"So, you've dreamed about one of us?" JJ said, feeling devilish for a moment as she pushed the issue, happy for a moment to have the focus off her and seeing Hotch suddenly looking much less self-assured. It felt good to turn the tables sometimes.

"I don't think we need to pursue that particular subject," Hotch replied quickly, already swearing to himself that even if he were on his deathbed he would never admit that he had fantasized about the beautiful blonde in front of him more times than he could count or that the thoughts started long before he was technically a free man.

His answer only served to confirm JJ's suspicion and she watched him closely as he held her gaze, she wondered who it might be, but realized she had pushed it far enough and let it drop, she really didn't want to know anyway she realized, knowing she would probably feel jealous of whomever it was, but she had to admit it felt good to have taken the focus off herself, even for a moment

"Thank you for talking to Will," She finally said, changing the direction of the conversation much to Hotch's relief. "Will and I will be having quite a talk tonight I'm sure," she sighed as she thought about the man that had turned her day into such a train wreck. "We've been having problems for a while, I think we're headed for at least a temporary separation," JJ continued to share as Hotch listened silently, he felt the urge to reach out to her and offer some comfort but in light of the morning he kept his place, glued behind his desk as if his life depended on it.

"I can explain though about what happened, Will wouldn't hear it but I think it makes sense from a basic psychological standpoint," JJ began, feeling the urge to try to get things straightened out with at least one of the two men directly involved as she again pushed back the small voice that kept telling her to shut up and leave.

"You can if you like, but you really don't have to," Hotch murmured, torn because he selfishly wanted to hear how he had come to be a part of her fantasies, wondering if it would compare to his own, yet knowing for the sake of propriety and his future sanity it would be best if they dropped it right then and never pursued it further. He mentally cursed himself for leaving her the option as she settled a little deeper into the chair, apparently poised to continue.

AN: Thanks again for the reviews. I realized I left out Reid since there's a mismatch on the number of men/women on the team but he'll get a mention later. The humor will start cranking back up in the next couple chapters, have to have a few serious moments scattered about.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

JJ knew she was probably digging herself in deeper also but ignored her better judgment and tried to explain further though with no intention of going into the depth she had with the women in the bathroom. "Will is sweet, he's just always pretty passive and sometimes women like to think of a man being well, forceful," she stumbled as she tried to find the right word. When JJ had said this in her mind before she had let it come out aloud, it had sounded like a fairly casual observance of human behavior but hearing the words ring in her own ears and seeing the intense look that flashed in the dark eyes of her boss made it suddenly seem far less clinical

"So you think I would force you?" Hotch asked, feeling damned even as he asked a question he knew he should leave alone, but he couldn't stomach the thought that he would be seen as that type of man, even if it was in a fantasy realm.

"No, I didn't really mean forced, wrong word," the blonde hastily explained, her cheeks becoming pink again as she herself now in a freefall down the slippery slope she had embarked on moments before which she knew would have been avoided if she had taken Emily's advice and mumbled a hasty apology before leaving but now it seemed there was no going back. "It's not a rape fantasy or anything like that, I know you wouldn't do that. I just meant someone taking charge knowing what I want without asking me every 5 minutes," she paused for a minute, wishing she could take back the words she had just said, this was far more than she had ever planned to discuss with Hotch and she was sure her cheeks were about to ignite into open flame, this would have been better saved for the follow up she was sure to have with the girls.

Hotch could feel his infamous iron control starting to slip as he digested her words, the voice in his head now screaming at him to stop this line of discussion and dismiss his subordinate but his mind had slipped away from the realms of rational thought the moment she had started to share her perception of him in bed. "So thinking of someone who would take charge as you say, makes you think of me?" He summarized what he had heard watching her color deepen as he joined her in the rapid descent the conversation seemed to be taking

"Yes, partly because you're my boss but you know, just because of the way you are. You are known to be well, uhh, dominant." JJ stammered uncharacteristically as she tried to rephrase and realized she had tread upon the dangerous and generally forbidden territory of profiling the profiler.

"Yes, I believe you called me a bully once," Hotch brought up the long ago descriptor she had used when they were trying to rescue Reid from Tobias Henkal.

"Look, we don't have to overanalyze this," JJ started to feel frustration stem from the embarrassment, she had already been interrogated by Will and now she was beginning to feel on the defensive with Hotch. Sensing her change in mood the unit chief realized he should back off as he sighed tiredly while remaining firmly on his side of the desk to keep an appropriate distance. "You're right JJ, I'm sorry, I wanted to be sure you wouldn't see me as someone who would take advantage of you, sexually or in any other context," he explained, trying to show some of his own vulnerability to put them back on the same level. "It frankly amazes me that you could think of me that way, considering the age difference and all, I was flattered, really," he flashed a weak smile, trying to ignore the pressure he felt building in other regions as he tried to not visualize what she had described as he tried to avoid remembering his own fantasy that frequently involved her coming into his office and him taking charge with her ending up pressed between him and the very desk that thankfully stood between them now. He could very well understand what she was trying to say but knew that saying anything further would condemn them both into a course of discussion that would be almost impossible to come back from. He groaned almost audibly when he could see he had triggered more of a response from her by sharing the insecurity about his age.

He was correct that his comment about age triggered in JJ a memory of a discussion she had engaged in several times before in a much more generic sense as she had engaged in the older man/younger man debate with Prentiss before, so she plunged ahead not realizing that this may not be the best timing for her to share these revelations. "Hotch, usually when a man gets a little older he is even more attractive to women, they tend to be less insecure, less impulsive. They usually have better self-control and are more focused on what really matters in life. They can also be more appreciative of what they have without searching for greener pastures and have typically learned to be slower and steadier in the bedroom," she paused as she realized that she was inadvertently talking about the very characteristics that she knew drew her to the senior agent, this time finally listening to the voice screaming at her to stop talking as she took a deep breath and sat back to indicate she was through, with a lame "so I guess I'm just saying age doesn't always matter," she said almost lamely to finish her sentence, letting the silence weigh down on her as Hotch considered her words, willing his blood to return to his brain so they could move forward and keep his mind from dwelling on the obvious fact that she had apparently given more than a passing thought as to what he would be like in a relationship as well as the bedroom.

"I think it's time put all this behind us and get back to focusing on the case in Texas?" Hotch finally stated, feeling they were both ready for a change of subject and knowing no good would come from saying more about it, if anything he might demolish her assumption of better self-control and leap the desk that was not seeming to do quite as good a job as bridging the gap between them as it had earlier.

"How are we going to handle the rest of the team?" JJ gladly followed the topic change this time and winced as she considered what awaited them outside the door.

"We both keep our mouths shut," Hotch said grimly, Will's been dealt with, we've both already made it clear to the team nothing is going on between us so I think we should say as little as possible and wait for it to blow over.

JJ agreed with a thankful nod as she got up to quickly move towards the door that would allow her to escape from the now stifling room, still feeling awkward about the whole situation but glad she had at least found the nerve to try and discuss it with Hotch, even though she wasn't really sure anything had been resolved and if anything she couldn't help but feel the talk may have made it worse now that there was a mutual awareness of sorts.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Last chapter, (thanks bg1701 for the suggested Hotch/Rossi conversation). Thanks to everyone for reviews and story alerts, glad some folks have enjoyed it. Now it's back to the epic still in the works.

_Chapter 6_

JJ had barely cleared the doorway when Rossi walked in to take the seat that JJ had just vacated and that Hotch was now beginning to wish could stay vacant for the rest of the day, the smirk on Rossi's face even more pronounced than usual. Tiring of his position behind the desk Hotch took the opportunity of his friends presence to stand and roam around the dimly lit office, expending some of the nervous energy that had built up since he had been punched in the jaw and hit even harder with the knowledge that JJ could see him in a sexual light, the latter having left a much deeper and long lasting imprint on his mind.

"What do you want?" Hotch finally sighed as he looked at his obviously mischievous friend who if he figured correctly was not going to let things drop as easily as he had hoped.

"So, JJ fantasizes about you, you fantasize about her, what next?" Rossi teased lightly, watching the younger profilers jaw clench at his statement. "What makes you think I fantasize about her?" Hotch ground out, wondering how the older man could have guessed his deeply buried secret.

"Elementary my dear Aaron," Even though we're close as a team we all have ones we're just a little closer to than others, and there's always at least one person we learn to look to break some of the tension from those long **lonely** trips. His emphasis on the word lonely was not lost on Hotch before Rossi continued, obviously enjoying the rare opportunity to discuss the seamier underside of the BAU team. "Morgan openly flirts with Garcia but we all know that's just hiding something a little deeper. Reid lets any of the girls get him bothered pretty easily but seems to be most responsive to Emily's attention, mainly because of her self-assuredness, bet he's thought more than once of her taking the lead with him. Probably a similar dynamic to what JJ see's in you, Rossi strayed back to the initial topic he had come in to discuss. "We all know who JJ thinks of now, and we've all seen that you respond differently to her. I know you like blondes," Dave said matter-of-factly enjoying watching Hotch's face color slightly as he realized that his secret attraction was not as secret as he had thought.

"Thinking and doing are two different things Dave," Hotch finally said tightly, hoping to stop the line of conversation before it went further.

"Calm down Aaron, no need to get so worked up, Americans are so uptight about sex compared to Europeans," Rossi couldn't help but throw out the well-known contrast as he could see his friends blood pressure rising at what seemed like a very casual conversation to the Italian.

"It sure makes it easier to cross the line when you realize it's not one sided." Rossi continued to tease, always enjoying a good banter about women especially the ones they worked with and hoping he could help loosen his friend up. "So how many times have you envisioned JJ sitting on your desk in one of those skirts she wears, head thrown back as she lets you have your way with her?" Rossi pressed, rewarded by a strangled cough from Hotch at the less than subtle description of the fantasy that Hotch had indeed entertained but that sounded so sordid coming from his friend. "You don't have to tell me what your fantasies are Aaron," Dave smirked again, that's a pretty standard one in the office setting. "Or perhaps it's against the door," he seemed to consider this as he visibly turned to study the strong oak door that served as the entryway into the unit chiefs office.

"What about you Dave," Hotch finally found his wits again and decided to turn the tables and get off the track they were on as fast as possible, "you sure seem to think you have everyone else pegged, who do you think about?"

"Hey, I'm an equal opportunity fantasizer." Rossi admitted with no hint of shame. "Whether it's a forceful Emily or Strauss battling me for dominance, I can enjoy both, they're probably the most frequent ones. But when I'm ready for a change there's also the sweet pliable JJ, or a talkative playful Garcia to star in my fantasies, I can have a different feature depending on the mood I'm in and the setting I choose.

"You are such a cad," Hotch couldn't help but accuse his friend, even though it really didn't surprise him as Dave had certainly earned his well-known reputation. Even though instinct told him it was harmless he couldn't help but feel angry that Rossi had also entertained thoughts of JJ.

"Correction my friend, regardless of the woman I am always a gentleman," Dave tried to maintain his honor despite the twinkle in his eye. "I know you don't like it that I thought of JJ, but take heart that you're the only one she's thinking about." Dave tried to pacify his friend. "So when she ditches Will, which is pretty much a given after today, then what?" Rossi was not going to be distracted as easily as Hotch had hoped as he returned to the subject of Hotch and JJ's somewhat mutual feelings.

"Then nothing," Hotch said grouchily wishing the matter could drop far preferring to focus on a serial killer and dead bodies at this point.

"Sure," Rossi made a show of humoring the man as he chuckled. "You've been holding onto that infamous control by a thread where JJ's concerned, and now that you know she's thought of you do you really think you're going to be able to sit back and do nothing when she is a free woman? I don't think so, you're going to crack and end up in an institution, or end up ravishing JJ on your desk and hating yourself afterwards for losing control?"

The knowing tone in Rossi's voice grated on Hotch's nerves, but even worse it led to a feeling of despair. "Dave, we're not talking about a quickie on a desk here, if something were to happen it would be long term, serious, JJ and I can't go down that path." Hotch said, his reasoning temporarily taking precedence over his resolve to not discuss the topic at all.

Rossi studied his friend for a second before feeling some of his merriment subside, letting his voice soften as he commiserated with his friend. "Fantasies are harder to enjoy when you are in love with the person as opposed to simply looking for a little gratification." Rossi had long suspected that JJ held more of Hotch's heart than the man would ever let on, but now that they were actually talking about it he felt some sympathy for the younger man as he put the teasing aside for a moment. "So why don't you go after her when she's had a little time to recover from the breakup with Will, it may be a long road but wouldn't it be worth it in the end?" Rossi moved from the teasing to trying to genuinely problem solving for his friend.

"She's a subordinate Rossi, she's younger than I am, she's…" Hotch began all the oft repeated reasons he had relied on to keep his attraction in check over the past years.

"She's attracted to you, you're attracted to her, you're single, she's almost single, and you're both single parents dealing with working for the FBI, a lot of successful relationships have started on much less." Rossi studied Hotch carefully as he spoke, finally realizing he wasn't going to get a response from the thoughtful man who seemed to be very focused as he peered through the blinds. Moving to his side Rossi followed Hotch's intense gaze to see the lithe blonde moving through the bullpen carrying a folder while trying to go about her business despite the way the morning had begun.

Seeing that Hotch had shut down and gone deep in thought, Rossi clapped a hand on his friends shoulder before moving towards the door. "Think about it Hotch, you both have what it takes to make it work if you want it bad enough."

Hotch's eyes didn't leave the blonde object of his affections as Rossi pulled the door behind him. Hotch continued to watch JJ as she moved to answer the phone, talking animatedly into the mouthpiece, knowing she was completely unaware that a small seed of hope had now become firmly planted in his mind.


End file.
